A while ago there was a thread about how a lot of guys aren't feeling the racing thing (their own racing, this is) anymore, and are just having fun riding. I see the point, and at the time I was sorting out a lot of stuff in my world and wasn't doing a lot of racing, but was having a lot of fun just riding. I did a gran fondo, did a marathon mtb event, but the stress of normal x's and o's racing was unwelcome at the time.

Well, things got sorted out and a few weeks ago was able to race in probably the last edition of a race I founded in 2009, and it was fun as s**t. Then I did the regional age-graded champs which was a crazy race on the best course I've ever raced on. This weekend I made a last minute decision to do a stage race since I seem to be pedaling fast these days, and I tend to race better when I'm racing a lot so might as well give it a go. First up was TT, haven't used the clip-on aerobars since May 2011, but giving it about 90% gas I managed to do okay. Then a fun crit yesterday afternoon, when a lot of the better TT guys couldn't do as well. Did okay in that, and moved up in GC. Then a road race today, slightly selective course but Cat 3 fields don't often race like that, so I put my chips on a field sprint (I am the WORLD'S WORST sprinter). The last 1.5k is a crazy right hand turn, then a zig zag, then another right, and a short sprint. Figured if I got to the first right in good position I'd be okay just riding really hard through the rest of it, just pedaled wacky hard and focused on the wheel in front of mine (turned out I picked the best one) and it worked out great. Moved up to 6th on GC, tied for 5th, if I'd been two places higher in any of the stages I'd have been 3rd. A cruel scoring break, but man was it fun and now I'm all fired up for cross.

That's the ticket. There are few men racing at my age so I would come in far back. More like death marching which I can do on my own. But the bug is still there. I watched some folks finishing the second timed stage of the Whistler Enduro this morning and couldn't help thinking "these kids are coasting. I ride this stuff way faster ". But I am not in any shape to ride today's brutal course. Super challenging. They started from the top of Whistler around 9am and were still going at it at around 3 pm when my wife and I rode by the finish of another section and they still had to take the lift to the top of Whistler for the final timed section, top to bottom.

Sweet dkri, good to see you still have that drive. Sounds like a fun, and safe outing. At my age I'm more interested in going home with all of my skin still intact. Though you wouldn't know it from the way I banzai down the local MTB trails. That's different as the line is under my control, save for those passes which I try to set up for appropriate sections.

Nice dkri, once a bike racer always a bike racer. I had zero intention of racing this year after a full season of cross last year racing for the series title, a very draining experience with 18 races in the series. Basically pedaled around all summer but as cross gets closer I got the racing bug again (cross just gets me psyched up which mountain and road don't anymore) made the decision and it's on again, might even make a run at Nationals. Good luck this season, what bike are you racing this year?